


Wild and free

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adorable flustered Bucky, Alternate Universe, Bucky has magic, F/M, Lots of it, M/M, Slow Burn, Steve is a knight, Tamora Pierce fusion, Wild magic fusion, seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 11:03:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1938501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tortall universe au.</p><p>Bucky had not known what to expect when he arrived in Corus, but it certainly wasn't Steve Rogers and a position as a hostler in the palace stables</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Explanation

**Author's Note:**

> Explanation chapter. For those of you who have already read any of Tamora Pierce's books that take place in Tortall, especially Wild Magic, please feel free to skip, for those of you who haven't. Go read them, now! They're great but I've given you the basics if what you need to know below, will be putting up the first chapter soon.

Tortall is a country in Tamora Pierce's novels. By our standards it would be considered close to medieval times. 

Corus, where most of this takes place is the Capital of Tortall. The royal palace is here. Knights go through training here, starting out as Pages, then squires and eventually knights. 

Scanra, Bucky's home, is a neighboring country. I'll give more specifics on this later. 

In this world various people have magic which is commonly referred to as "the Gift." It comes in various forms and different people have different abilities depending on their training and the level of power they were born with, but in the whole they are referred to as the gift. The Sight is another variation on magic, more specifically the ability to see magic/power and other various things in the world. 

Wild magic is a very rare form of magic which gives the user certain abilities in relation to animals. 

Anything else that needs explanations will be included in chapter notes.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky arrives in Corus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't own, not mine, I only smashed these two worlds together, comments and kudos appreciated.
> 
> Steve: Knight and Lord, has the Sight  
> Rumlow: Knight and Lord, has the Gift and the Sight  
> Sam: Knight and Lord  
> Clint: Chief Hostler, has a very small touch of Wild Magic

Corus was, well, not what Bucky had been expecting.  It was as crowded and as loud as any city Bucky had seen before on the rare occasion.  Bright flashes of color everywhere, merchants shouting their wares.  Just the same as the few cities he had visited as a child.  But this city, this beautiful, glorious city was different in so many ways.  It was, kinder, for lack of a better word.  Nobles and commoners alike mingled throughout the streets.  Those few individuals he made eye contact with greeted him with a nod and a smile rather than a wary eye and suspicion as they had in Scanra.  It was really a bit unnerving actually, but Bucky needed work, desperately, and the city was his best bet to find it.

He carefully pushed his way through the crowds and into a small Inn, The Dancing Dove.  It was crowded, but eventually he made his way to the counter to request a glass of water, pointedly ignoring the raucous coming from a table in the corner of the room where four knights were seated.  He would have preferred to order something a bit stronger, but unfortunately what little coin he had couldn't be wasted on something so trivial at the moment.

"Pretty little thing like you deserves something a bit harder than water," commented a voice behind him.  Bucky resisted the urge to roll his eyes and turned slightly to assess the man who had approached him.  It was one of the knights he had taken note of earlier.  He was a tall man, well built and handsome.  His dark hair slicked back from his face.  He was attractive, certainly, but not really to Bucky's taste and the cruel twist of his lips and the lewd glint in his eyes were off putting.  

"Leave him be Rollins," Called another of the knights who hadn't left the table.  This one was slightly shorter than the man standing in front of Bucky, with dark eyes.  "It's pretty obvious you're not his type."  Bucky could feel a blush rising to his cheeks as the stranger graced him with a salacious smirk and an over exagerated wink.

"Fuck off Rumlow," the first knight, Rollins, Shouted before turning back towards Bucky.  "What do you say then, care to join us."

"No thank you," Bucky responded, hoping the man would take the hint.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side.  "Come on now, don't be like that."

Bucky turned so he was facing the man fully now, "as your friends so clearly pointed out, I am not interested."  he tried to maintain a polite, neutral tone, no need to create a scene.

 

"No need to play hard to get darling," he reached forward to grip the Bucky's arm, using it to jerk the slighter man against him. Some of the other patrons were openly staring at this point and Bucky could feel the panic rising in his chest.  "Come on now darling, just one little....Son of a Bitch!" Rollins released Bucky instantly, pulling away with a string of curses.  

One of the Inn's rat catchers had latched her claws into Rollins leg and by the time he had managed to shake her off two of the hounds that had been wandering the streets outside stood between him and Bucky, snarling at the knight.  

"You little witch," growled Rollins reaching for his sword only to be stopped as another of the knights pulled him backwards away from Bucky and the dogs.  

 

"Stand down Rollins, this was your own fault."  This knight was taller than the rest.  Solidly built with broad shoulders and a trim waist, a mop of golden hair atop his head.  "You should have listened the first time."

Rollins glanced between the blonde man and Bucky before clearly deciding that Bucky wasn't worth the fight.  "Didn't want the little bitch anyway," he snarled before stalking out of the Dancing Dove.

The Blonde turned his gaze back towards Bucky.  "You can call off your friends now," he commented with a pointed look at the two hounds.

"Never called them in the first place," Bucky muttered as he bent down to scratch behind one of the two dog's ears and in doing so he missed the look of confusion on the stranger's face.

"I feel as though I should apologize for Rollin's actions," he continued as Bucky straitened up from his crouched position.  "Join us, please, I promise that my other companions won't be quite so forward."

"Speak for yourself Cap," shouted the dark haired knight, Rumlow, "you've been making cow eyes at him since he walked in here."

The Blush that spread all the way to Steve's hairline forced a laugh out of Bucky.  "Bucky Barnes, Sir, " he started holding his hand out to shake.

"Steve Rogers," the knight responded with an earnest grin and a firm handshake.  "And no need for any Sir's or My Lords, we're not big on that sort of thing around here, or at least not so long as we aren't in the presence of the few nobles that still require that sort of response from the Common folk."  Steve pulled him over to the table pushing him down into the seat next to Rumlow.

"Speak for yourself Cap, I wouldn't mind this one calling me Sir under certain circumstances."

"Rumlow," warned Steve.

The Dark haired man only grinned, holding his hand out for Bucky.  "Brock Rumlow, and that one over there," he pointed to the dark skinned man seated across from them, "is Sam Wilson."

Sam didn't even bother greeting him, "What the hell kind of a name is Bucky Barnes, seriously it's almost as bad as Pepper."

Steve let out an exasperated sigh, "Her actual name is Virginia, and don't let Tony hear you say that."

"Yeah, Yeah, Sure, but really, is that your real name," pressed Sam.

"Umm, no," Bucky responded, unsure how to handle this.  In Scanra the nobility had barely been able to stand being in the same room as the common folk, but here he was, bastard born him seated at the same table as three high born lords, this was all terribly confusing.  "It's a nickname.  My actual name is James Barnes, but almost no one ever called me that where I'm from."

"James, huh," commented Rumlow, brushing the back of his hand against Bucky's arm.  "I like it, it suits you," Bucky could feel heat rising to his cheeks.  "And what brings you to Corus all the way from.....I'm sorry, where are you from?"

"Scanra," the three men winced in sympathy.  Things in Scanra had been difficult lately, particularly for commoners.  "I'm in need of work," Bucky pointedly avoided saying why he left Scanra and prayed they would not ask.

"Well that shouldn't be too hard for you to find, having the gift and all," Stated Sam as he leaned forward resting his elbows on the table.

Bucky simply shook his head.  He didn't have the gift.  He had been tested multiple times and hadn't shown even the slightest touch of magic.  If he had had it things might not have turned out so bad for his family.

"Come on, you can't expect us to believe that those animals just came to your aid.  Rumlow, Steve, help me out here, you both have the Sight."

Bucky glanced between to two men.  Rumlow stared at him with a thoughtful frown, but it was Steve who responded first.

"There's nothing there Sam, at least nothing I can see."

Bucky simply shrugged.  "I'm a fair hand with animals, always have been," as though that somehow explained everything.  It seemed to be a good enough explanation for Sam and Steve, but Rumlow continued to look at Bucky with a curious expression, as though he could see something that the other two had missed.

"I think we might be able to help you in the work department, how are you with horses?" inquired Steve.  The wide grin he got in response was answer enough.  "Thought as much.  Meet me at dawn at the palace gates, I'll introduce you to Clint."

__

Alexander Pierce was a powerful man.  Advisor to the king, high ranking nobility.  He was also a very ambitious man.  A dangerous man with a clear vision for the world.

"You're certain," he asked as he studied the dark haired knight seated across from him.  Brock Rumlow had always been a valuable asset to Pierce, but if what he said was true, he was about to prove his worth ten times over.

"Absolutely," affirmed the knight.  "He's practically brimming with it.  So much power spilling over that he can't even control it."

Pierce stood, moving towards the window to look out at the pre-dawn light washing over the palace.  "And did anyone else take note of this, Captain Rogers perhaps."

"He suspects that the boy is different, but he doesn't know how.  His Sight is not as strong as mine, nor is he trained to look for this particular strain of magic.  There's no way he could pinpoint exactly how he is different or how powerful he is."

"Good," murmured Pierce.  "Rumlow, I'm going to need you to do what you do best.  Seduce this young man to our cause, by whatever means necessary, am I understood."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Send for Bartoc, he should be able to provide some aid in this matter, now go."

"Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra," Pierce responded with a wicked smile.

__

Bucky had no expected Steve to keep his word.  He had actually assumed this was some cruel joke so he was rather surprised with the knight appeared, a shorter blonde who was introduced as Clint Barton trailing behind him.

After introductions were made Clint promptly grabbed Bucky and essentially dragged him through the gates and towards the Stables, Steve following close behind with a grin on his face.

"Well, let's see what you've got," he stated once they had reached the stables, depositing Bucky in front of a beautiful Strawberry Roan.

"Clint," Steve's voice was sharp and worried

"Can it Cap, you said he was special, well, let's see just how special he is."

Bucky didn't hear a word of this as his eyes were locked on the lovely creature in front of him.  "You are a beauty," he murmured, reaching out to touch the horse, the Roan pushing his nose into Bucky's hand, lipping at his fingers as though searching for treats.

Clint's jaw dropped and Steve was unable to contain his laughter.

"What?" Bucky questioned as the horse began nosing through his shirt pockets.

"That's Mark 42," Steve responded when his laughter had subsided.  "Tony's horse.  He's contrary and mean as can be, I'm guessing Clint half expected him to try to bite you on sight."

"You're hired," Clint finally shook himself from his stupor.

"For?" questioned Bucky, they had never really gotten around to explaining what position he was being considered for, although he could guess at this point.

"Hostler," Clint answered.  "You would care for the Knight's horses and help train the Pages under my supervision, and I am not going to take no for an answer, someone with your talent belongs in the stables."

Bucky looked back at Steve, the earnest hopeful smile on the man's face causing an unfamiliar warm feeling to settle low in his stomach.  Somehow he knew he was going to regret this eventually.  "When do I start."


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky is introduced to the going on's of the palace and Tony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things that need explaining:
> 
> Carthak: Country to the south of Tortell, the University there is prominent and many mages study there.
> 
> I've also bestowed various titles on the different MCU characters, if any of these become important to the story I will provide explanation later.
> 
> Also I made the age difference between Steve and Bucky closer to the comic verse age gap than the movie verse age gap, it just fits better with this story.
> 
> Warning, probably a lot of errors here, I have no beta and this is being published very late, I will likely go back and edit as necessary but I wanted to get this out there first.

After accepting the offer Clint had basically thrown what few belongings Bucky had with him, a rucksack with his bedroll and a change of clothing and his longbow, into one of the stable lofts and proceeded to drag Bucky around the palace, Steve watched him go with a smile and a wave.

First Bucky was taken to the palace tailors where he was pinched and prodded until they had the information needed and a pair of rough spun breeches and a loose fitting tunic were forced on him in place of his well patched trousers and his ill-fitting tunic. These new clothes for as simple as they were had been the finest pieces of clothing Bucky had ever owned. Before they left Clint also requested that Bucky be provided with 3 additional shirts and breeches in various colors as well as a fine leather jerkin and a sturdy pair of work boots, all to be delivered to the stables in the passing days. Bucky was thankful that Clint dragged him from the tailors so quickly for had he not Bucky is certain that he would have broken down in front of the men and women there. Bucky had not known this sort of kindness from strangers since he was a small child.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, a dizzying array of names and faces that Bucky was fair certain he would never be able to recall.

It was shortly before supper when Bucky found himself perched on the fence around one of the outdoor practice courts alongside Clint as they watched a few of the knights and the squires sparring. All of the knights, even many of the squires, were of an impressive form, but Bucky’s eyes kept straying to Steve. He had removed his doublet and pushed his shirt sleeves up to reveal strong forearms. His hair was soaked with sweat but he showed no sign of tiring as he spared against Same with one of the dulled practice swords. Bucky had thought he had been discreet in watching the other man, but clearly he was not and Clint had taken note of it. “Enjoy it while you can,” the hostler commented, startling Bucky so much that he nearly fell from his perch. “I only mean that it is not often the knights spar outside, generally they use the indoor practice courts.” Clint continued on with a glint in his eye and laughter in his voice, “the pages have been taken to pirates swoop for the summer, once they return in a few weeks time we will be overrun with the little devils again.”

“Little scamps everywhere, constantly getting underfoot and creating mischief,” added Rumlow who had wondered over to lean against the fence next to Bucky after he had throughly trounced Rollins in his own match. 

“They aren't actually that young are they?” inquired Bucky. He knew little about page training, but he had always been lead to believe that they began training in their early teen years, Rumlow made it sound as though they were still little more than children.

“They’re not, everyone just seems young to Brock,” answered Clint.

Rumlow rolled his eyes but explained anyway, “Cap and I are the oldest commanders within the Kings Own, he commands the Howling Commandos and I command the Strike force. What Clinton fails to note is that he is even older than myself.”

“Neither of you seem that old,” They couldn’t be more than a bit older than him, well Steve couldn’t be more then a few years, Rumlow couldn’t be more than ten years his elder. 

“We’re not old by most men’s standards, but we are for two such high ranking knights who are still active in the field. I’ve seen thirty-nine summers and Cap has seen thirty-six. What about you sweetheart, you can’t be a day after seventeen.”

Bucky blushed scarlet, not used to this sort of attention from such great men. “I’m nineteen.”

“That doesn’t help me feel any younger,” commented, returning his attention to the field just in time to see Steve disarm Sam. “Impressive, isn’t he,” the knight commented, an edge in his voice that Bucky couldn’t quite identify. “You should see him with a shield. It’s this gaudy red white and blue thing, but he manages to wield it as an offensive weapon as well as a defensive weapon, he is one of the few knights to use a shield so effectively. What about you James, any skill with a weapon, daggers, swords or what not.

“I’m a fair hand with a bow,” he responded. He had to be to survive for so long on the road on his own. Even before that he had needed his skill with a bow to keep his family clothed and fed with what little money he could bring in from hunting.

Clint perked up when he heard Bucky mention his skill with a bow. “Care to give it a demonstration.”

“My long bow is at the stables, if you can wait I can go and fetch it.”

“Nonsense, we have runners for that,” Rumlow stated as he waved the boy standing near the edge of the field over. “Go and fetch James’ long bow from the stable, where did you put it?”

“The lofts, first one, above Mark 2’s stall,” answered Bucky.

“Go fetch it and bring it here,” Rumlow told the boy.

“Yes your grace,” he responded before trotting off to gather Bucky’s bow.

“Your Grace,” Bucky echoed. “You’re a Duke!” Bucky flailed for a moment, torn between standing to bow properly and maintaining his balance on the fence. He would have fallen had Rumlow not caught him. A firm hand on his waist and another on his arm, steadying him. Bucky could feel the warmth of his broad palms through his clothing and he was unable to fight down the blush that rose to his cheeks.

“Duke Brock Rumlow of Naxen, but please do not become overly formal with me now sweetheart, the only people I make use my title are those people I don’t like. For you sweetheart, simply Brock will do.”

“This country makes no sense,” muttered Bucky, dragging a laugh from the two men. He had known that the men he had met the other day were both lords, one had to be in order to achieve knighthood, but he had never imagined that three men he had befriended would be such high ranking lords. “Anyone else I should know about before I further embarrass myself.”

It was Clint who answered that question. “Steve is Lord Trebond, came into his inheritance at seventeen when his mother passed. sam is the second son of Lord Goldenlake. His brother is a very powerful mage who is currently studying in Carthak and thus it fell to Sam continue chase his knighthood. Monty over there,” Clint pointed to the tall light haired knight with an easy smile, “he is the Baron of Pirates Swoop. He remains in Pirates Swoop most of the year, but he despises the page’s and thus whenever they travel to his barony he returns to the palace. Rollins is the Lord Tirragan in everything but name, his father, though still alive, hasn’t been well for many years. The other’s you will meet tonight.”

“Don’t worry, no one is expecting you to remember all of this,” assured Rumlow. “Besides, if you are half as good with the horses as Roger’s claims you are then we will all be chasing after you by the end of the week begging you to care for our steeds. Oh look, the kids back.” Sure enough the runner had returned with Bucky’s long bow in hand, bow string held in his other hand in the oil cloth it was kept in. 

Next thing he knew he was standing next to Clint on the range, the other man holding an already strung recurved bow with a quiver of arrows strung across his back. “Can you even string that thing?” he asked nodding towards the bow that was almost as tall as Bucky was. Bucky only grinned before balancing the bow against his foot, bending it slightly to loop the string over the top. “Whatever,” muttered Clint as he pulled an arrow from his quiver. “Best of three wins.”

Bucky grinned, motioning for Clint to go first, “age before beauty.” 

“Ass,” responded Clint before loosing three arrows in rapid succession, all three hitting the center of the target, clustered together. “After you sweetheart,” he followed, his tone mocking as he used Rumlow’s pet name for Bucky.

Bucky didn’t bother answering, instead he simply drew his bow and like Clint he loosed three arrows in rapid succession, not even bothering to aim as he knew where they wold hit. 

the knights who Bucky had not noticed watching let our a raucous cheer as the three arrows clustered in the center of the target. Steve jumped the fence so he could Stride over to Bucky, clapping him on the shoulder. “Looks like a tie this time Hawkeye. First time I’ve ever seen anyone come this close to best you.” Right now Bucky was cursing the fact that he blushed so easily,

Clint was grinning at this point, “it will be nice to finally have someone around who can keep up.” He reached forward, tugging Bucky into a headlock and ruffling his short hair. “Come on kid, I think that’s enough excitement for one day, let’s go get some dinner.”

__

The Great Hall was, well, a bit overwhelming for Bucky. Ever since he had spent near a year running wild in the woods, he never did well with large crowds and noises, and the Great Hall was certainly one of the noisiest places he had ever been. After gathering his meal, which was more food than he could ever remember having in one sitting - Rumlow had kept shoving food at him, arguing that he needed to put some fat on his bones, emphasizing this point by circling his hands around Bucky’s narrow waist, and if his hands lingered for a moment or two longer than was appropriate neither man made mention of it - he was seated at one of the long tables with the knights he had met earlier this morning. Steve was on his right, Rumlow on his left, the seat across from him left empty. 

Buckyw as quickly introduced to the other knights who composed Steve’s Howling Commando’s. This unit included James Montgomery Falsworth or “Monty” as he was often called as well as Jacques Dernier, Jim Morita, Gabe Jones, and Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan. They were so boisterous and loud that Bucky had a bit of a hard time keeping up, his only saving grace was Rumlow and Steve quietly murmuring explanations in his ear and Clint and Sam shouting at the others to shut up before they scared Bucky off.

Dugan was in the middle of a story raunchy enough to make Bucky blush scarlet once more when a tray clattered into place across from him and a man with dark hair and a neatly trimmed goatee dropped into the empty seat. “I see you gave picked up another stray Barton, bit too pretty for a stable boy isn’t he.”

Bucky bristled at being called pretty yet again and let loose a biting retort before he could stop himself. “Some people prefer a pretty face whose not afraid to get his hands dirty,” he passed a critical eye over the newcomers obviously expensive clothing. “Everything’s always a bit more enjoyable when your with someone willing to work for what they want rather than someone content to just sit back and wait to be given what they feel they deserve,” he pitched his voice in a manner that would make the lewd subtext of his statement impossible to ignore.

The whole table was silent for a moment before erupting in laughter. “I like you,” commented the newcomer before holding his hand out to be shaken. “Tony Stark.”

It took a moment for everything to connect in Bucky’s mind, but the moment it did he was on his feet. Or rather he attempted to rise to his feet to bow or something, but Rumlow forced him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. “Easy now sweetheart, what did I say about formalities around here.”

Tony smirked at Bucky, “I only enjoy being called Prince Stark in bed. You’re cute and all, but I’m in a committed relationship and even it I wasn’t, I don’t really fancy the idea of getting into a fight with these two here over you any time soon,” he leveled a pointed stare at Steve and Rumlow. Steve had turned red with mortification, but Rumlow simply leered and Bucky with a smug smile that had the younger man squirming in his seat.

“Don’t worry Barnes,” interjected Clint, “Stark is only here for a few weeks at a time, most of the year he is off studying at the University or traveling.”

“I don’t know now that there is someone around to match my level of sass I might consider sticking around a bit more.”

“This makes absolutely no sense,” Bucky blurted out, slapping a hand over his mouth the moment the words left his mouth.

“Yeah, I’ve heard we’re a bit different from Scanra,” Tony replied, his voice laden with sarcasm. “I can’t wait to see what happens when he meets Natasha.”

Bucky shot Steve a confused look hoping he might explain. 

“Natasha is,” Steve started to say, but Tony cut him off with a finger to his lips before he could speak any further. 

“Shhh Rogers, don’t spoil it, I want to watch his brain melt out his ears when he finally meets her and tries to sort that one out.”

“You’re all mad, that’s what it is isn’t it,” Bucky’s declaration was met with more laughter.

__

Bucky settled into his bedroll in the stable lofts that night. Clint had promised Bucky that he would have a proper room of his own in the palace shortly like the other hostlers and palace servants, but in reality Bucky preferred it this way. He enjoyed being surrounded by the horses and whatever animals might come to visit him in the night as the were often wont to do. 

Bucky had just drifted to sleep shortly before midnight when he heard hushed voices in the level below. As silently as he could he crept towards the edge of the loft so he could peer over the side. He was cursing the fact that the only weapon he had within reach was his long bow, which was near useless in close quarters.

There were four men below, all dressed in cloaks and heavily armed. Bucky was still considering his options when he felt the wood railing he was leaning against crack beneath his weight. Before he could scramble back he felt it give way and he was tumbling down to the level below. Luckily he had landed in a pile of hay, so he was uninjured, but that was where his luck ran out. 

One of the men, dressed in a cloak of dark purple dragged Bucky to his feet, holding him against the stable wall with a hand around his throat, not yet cutting of his air supply but the threat was evident.

“This him, Batroc?” inquired one of the other men, his voice thickly accented. Bucky could feel the beginnings of panic rising within him. The horses around him were growing agitated, many of them fighting to get free of their stalls. 

The man, Batroc ignored his companion and continued to study Bucky with those sharp intelligent eyes, occasionally glancing between him and the horses.

“I’d step away form him if I were you,” called a familiar voice. Rumow stood at the opening of the stables, crossbow in hand, aimed directly at Batroc. 

Batroc pulled Bucky away from the wall, wrapping one arm around his neck, using the other to keeps Bucky’s wrist captive. He was using Bucky as a human shield. Bucky tried to struggle but the intruder tightened his arm around Bucky’s neck, only releasing him when Bucky went limp, black spots dancing before his eyes. “Stay where you are your grace or this poor boy may pay the consequences.”

Rumlow lowered his crossbow slightly, his eyes locked with Bucky’s. It was in this moment that something Bucky felt something snap within him and that wildness that had consumed him when he first fled Scanra came rushing back. He slammed his head backwards, relishing the sharp crunch of bone before latching his teeth into the man’s arm, drawing blood. Batroc released Bucky, giving him just enough time for Bucky to turn in his grip, driving his knee into the man’s sensitive parts.

At this point Mark 42 and Steve’s beautiful black stallion had escaped from their stalls, striking down two of the men nearest to them and trampling them for good measure, the third man was taken down by a crossbow bolt to the neck. 

Bucky remained crouched low near the corner of the stables, the two horses closing in around him to ward off anyone who would come near. The commotion that had been caused had drawn other’s to the stables, Steve and a young redhaired wome accompanied a dark skinned man with an eye patch and an older lord with graying hair and a pair of eyeglasses. Somewhere within the recesses of his mind Bucky registered these newcomers as dangerous, as hunters and Bucky drew further into himself, the horses closing in around him.

Rogers, Romanov, deal with Batroc,” demanded the man with the eyepatch. Steve glanced and Bucky and looked as though he was about to protest but the red haired women jabbed Steve in the ribs with her elbow nodding towards Batroc and his now dead companions. They dragged the man from the room, the dark skinned man following behind them. “Fix this and bring him to me,” he ordered before leaving Bucky alone with Rumlow and the strange lord.

The stranger and Rumlow shared a look before Rumlow edged closer to Bucky, still out of the reach of the horses hooves and teeth, and crouched down so he was eye level with Bucky. “Hey now sweetheart, you’re safe now, you can come out.” Bucky only responded with an animalistic snarl.

“He is too far gone for such simple platitudes Rumlow, it is going to take more than that to draw his humanity back now.” commented the stranger.

Rumlow ignored him and continued on “come now sweetheart, you know me, you trust me, it’s safe now.” Bucky hesitated before drawing closer to Rumlow and away from the horses. His instinct warring within him, one part telling him to run and the other telling him this man was safe, that he wouldn’t hurt him. “There’s a good boy,” the dark haired man soothed reaching out to brush his hands through his hair, the purring sound Bucky let out causing the first stirrings of arousal to settle in his stomach. “Come now sweetheart, I need you to come back now,” as much as Rumlow enjoyed seeing Bucky half feral and content beneath his hands he would need to speak with the human element of him now. “Come on now sweetheart, remember who you are. You are James Barnes, you traveled here from Scanra, we met at the Dancing Dove when you got one of the cats there to practically maul Rollins...” Rumlow continued on, repeating himself until he could see the wildness slowly slipping from Bucky’s pretty blue eyes. The younger man collapsed against Rumlow, nuzzling his head into the knights neck. “There’s my boy,” he praised, pressing a kiss into his soft hair.

Bucky blinked up at him, trying to ge this bearings. “Did I hurt anyone,” last time he had lost himself he had killed five people.

“No one that didn’t deserve it sweetheart. Come now, we had best go meet Fury,” Rumlow stood, pulling Bucky up with him, one arm wrapped tightly around his waist.

“But freedom and Mark 42,” protested Bucky, wanting to see to the two horses who had come to his aid.

“Shh, it’s ok sweetheart, will call for Clint and he’ll take care of them, just let lord Pierce and i take care of you now, ok love,” Rumlow didn’t wait for the other man to answer, instead steering him out of the stables and pressing a kiss to his temple.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made for Bucky's future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ratings Bump!!
> 
> Comments and Kudos greatly appreciated!!

Less than an hour later Bucky found himself seated before a large desk in one of the palace studies. The others were there as well, Rumlow and Steve along with the man with an eye patch, Fury, Pierce and the red haired woman who Bucky was willing to bet was the Natasha everyone had been speaking of.

Seated behind the desk was the single most powerful man in all of the Realm. Howard Stark was still a handsome man, dark hair streaked with silver, fine boned and dark skinned. Despite his age he was still a striking figure.

“You’re certain of this Alexander,” questioned Stark glancing towards the lord.

For his part Pierce’s eyes had not left Bucky since the stables. “He has the greatest concentration of Wild Magic I have ever seen.

That caught Bucky’s attention. “I have no magic,” he protested. “I had been tested, repeatedly, as a child. If I had anything they would have found it.”

“You don’t have the gift James,” Rumlow responded before anyone else could speak. “You have Wild Magic. It is a strain of magic that is so unique that few even believe it actually exists. It is what allows you to handle animals so easily, why you feel that connection to them.”

“It’s understandable that you have some questions,” stated Stark. “Perhaps in the interest of answering the questions we have in the hope that this may also provide you with the clarity you need you should provide us with some information on who you are, where you came from and what brought you here. Start from the beginning and leave nothing out.”

Bucky squirmed in his seat. This wasn’t the sort of thing he wanted to share with everyone here. Once they learned who he was, what he had done, they wouldn’t want him anymore, not after they learned who he was or what he had done.

“James,” Rumlow’s voice was soft as he crouched in front of Bucky taking one of his hands, his thumb gently rubbing soothing circles across his palm. “We have never seen someone whose Wild Magic is as strong as yours. If we are going to figure this out we need to know everything.”

Bucky didn’t want to, but Rumlow’s voice was so ernest and imploring that he couldn’t help but spill his entire life history. “I was born in a small village in Scanra. My Da was a soldier, he never married my Mum so my sisters and I were bastard born, but he did love her. He came to visit every winter, used to bring my sisters and I gifts from everywhere he had travelled. One winter when I was eleven he stopped coming. After that it was just me, my mum, my sisters and my granda. Granda was a bit like me. He was good with animal’s, horses and dogs mostly but every once in a while he could get the birds to come to him too. He didn’t have it as deep as I do, he never felt like he would lose himself to the wildness the way I do. He never had to worry about forgetting who he was. My Ma had a bit of the gift, but not much. It was my sisters who had the real talent. Stitch Witches they used to call them. They would sew charms for protection and good health into the hems and collars of clothing and sell them for a few coins. That along with the money I could bring in from my hunting was enough to keep us alive, just barely.” The next part of this tale was going to be difficult. “I was seventeen when things changed. It had been a harsh winter, food was scarce and the hunting in our area had been poor so I travelled a few towns over to see what I might be able to barter for. I was away when the soldiers came. A contingent of the Scanran army, patrolling the border. They killed my family because my mother refused to house them, how could she when she didn’t even have enough food for her children.” Bucky closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh, the only thing keeping him going at this point was Rumlow’s gentle grip on his hand and Steve’s large sad eyes peering at him. “The soldiers were still there when I returned, still living in my family’s home. At this point I may have gone a bit mad. I killed five men with my bare hands before I fled my village. By this time I had lost sight of my humanity. It had happened before, but every other time my family had been able to pull me out of my wildness. This time I had no family to help me. I found one of the local packs, lived among them as a wolf for somewhere around a year before I finally managed to come back to myself. When I finally sorted my head out and figured out who I really was I left Scanra, headed south. I stole some clothing, my long bow and a few coins to purchase the other necessities. I made for Corus, hitched a ride with merchants and caravans when I could, but for the most part I traveled on foot. I thought that the further I was from the wild, from those animals I felt a connection with and the more I was among humans that I might be less likely to lose myself. A city like Corus seemed to fit the bill the best, but it would seem I was wrong on that count.

Stark turned towards Pierce, “Can he control it, or is what we saw today going to continue to be a problem.”

Pierce didn’t respond to the king, instead addressing Bucky directly, “Up until today Clint Barton had possessed the greatest level of Wild Magic we had ever seen. He can coerce the horses to do as he wishes and some of the palace dogs respond only to his commands, but he is capable of little else. The power that you possess is a hundred times greater than anything else we have ever seen. It is no wonder that you are unable to control this power, that at times it consumes you.”

“Can it be trained through,” demanded Stark dragging Pierce’s attention back to him. Rumlow’s face twisted into a grimace when he heard Stark refer to Bucky as an ‘it’ but he made no move to protest, instead lacing his fingers with Bucky and squeezing gently as though to offer comfort.

“Yes,” Pierce paused, removing his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief. “Under my tutelage James can learn to do more than simply commune with the animals around him, he will be able to merge his consciousness with theirs, heal them, maybe even shape shift.”

Bucky’s head snapped up, he might be able to heal, to save those animals he loved and cared for.

“That settles it then, Barnes will be trained, but not by you Pierce,” Pierce moved to protest but Howard cut him off before anything could be said. “I need you where you are Pierce. Tensions with Carthak have been rising since Anthony refused lady Maya’s hand and announced that he would be marrying Pepper. Should our relationship with them sour any further I will need your aid and I cannot afford to have you saddled with a student. Rumlow, you have also had some exposure to Wild Magic have you not?”

“Your Majesty, I am the only expert on Wild Magic within the realm,” Pierce sounded outraged at this point.

“You are also my most skilled advisor,” Stark snapped. “Rumlow, are you not able to recognize Wild Magic, you understand how it functions and how it is fundamentally different from the gift yes?” Rumlow nodded. “Do you have enough experience that you would be able to train someone to control it, to master it.”

Rumlow and Pierce shared a look before the Duke responded. “Yes, but I would require some aid. Barton of course, though his power is limited he is still the only other example of Wild Magic that we have readily available to us. Perhaps Rollins and Falsworth as well as both possess the unique ability to shape shift. Between myself and some of the other knights in possession of the gift we should be able to establish some method of training. It will be unorthodox, but then again we are not exactly dealing with a sort of power that is commonplace.”

“Rogers and Romanov will provide him with weapons training and hand to hand combat,” added Fury.

“I fail to see how that might be necessary,” Bucky couldn't really pinpoint what it was, but something in Pierce’s voice set him on edge, made him believe that Pierce did not want Steve or the red haired women training Bucky.

“Batroc has already indicated that his purpose in coming here was to collect Barnes, though he will not say who sent him. Once the rest of the world finds out about the level of power he has, Batroc will not be the last one to attempt this. The kid needs to be able to defend himself,” responded Fury.

“I don’t fancy losing an asset of this magnitude to Schmidt and Scanra,” added Stark. Out of the corner of his eye Bucky could see Steve’s jaw clench when Stark referred to Bucky as an asset. Bucky felt warmth bloom within his chest that Steve would care enough to object to such a thing as Rumlow had done.

“If that’s settled then I would think it best if Rogers and I got James off to bed, he will need his rest if we are to begin training tomorrow.” Rumlow pulled Bucky to his feet and Steve was instantly at his side.

“Yes, yes, of course,” responded Stark dismissing them with a wave of his hand. “Go now, but I expect regular reports on his progress, this level of power is not something I will allow to go unmonitored. And Rogers, stay with him tonight, I want to be certain he is safe if Batroc was not acting alone.”

“Yes your Majesty,” Steve responded as he and Rumlow steered Bucky out of the study and back towards the stables. 

__

Steve could not help but feel awkward as he settled into his bedroll next to Bucky’s in the stable lofts. The loft itself was small and much of it was filled with supplies so there was little room for their bedrolls. When laying side by side there was only a small amount of space between them. Steve was so close that he was able to see the smattering of freckles across Bucky’s nose and admire the downward sweep of his dark eyelashes against his sharp cheek bones. 

Bucky must have felt the other the other man staring because his pretty blue grey eyes flicked open to meet Steve’s gaze. “Can’t sleep,” he murmured, shifting slightly and drawing closer to Steve. “I‘m nervous,” he added pressing closer still.

Steve finally gave into his own desires and pulled the brunette into his arms, allowing Bucky to nuzzle into his chest in an effort to find some comfort. “It’s going to be alright Bucky, I promise.”

Bucky stared up at the other man, chin propped against Steve’s chest. “Thank you,” he muttered when the silence grew to be too much.

Bucky’s eyes were hazy with sleep, a soft smile on his lips. Steve suddenly felt he overwhelming urge to kiss him but he refrained from doing so, unsure how the young man might respond. “For what.”

Bucky just shrugged, “for everything, for bringing me here, for getting me a job, for accepting what I am. I think most of all for caring. Before I came here the only person who ever cared for my well being was my family. To everyone else I was a freak, something that needed to be put down before it turned on you. For the first time since I lost my family I’ve found people who make me feel as though I am special, loved even. Both you and Rumlow have been so kind, I think you are the first people I have met since leaving Scanra who care for me simply because they can, who have no ulterior motives. It’s nice.” Bucky buried his head in the crook of Steve’s neck, allowing the warmth of the other man to wash over him as the exhaustion of the day caught up with him and he drifted to sleep.

__

Steve was the first to awaken the next day. Some time in the night they had shifted positions and now Bucky’s back was pressed against the larger mans chest. One arm was pillowing Bucky’s head, the other wrapped possessively around his waist. Steve shifted slightly, trying to put some distance between the enticingly warm body before him without awakening the man. As he shifted his groin brushed against Bucky and a spike of pleasure shot up Steve’s spine. He was suddenly painfully aware of his erection which was nestled against the swell of Bucky’s ass. When Bucky shifted once again, trying to draw closer to the warmth behind him, grinding his ass back agains the knights cock, Steve was unable to bite back the moan that was forced from his lips. Bucky responded with a whimper of his own, tilting his hips to thrust back against the blonde. Steve buried his nose in Bucky’s hair, fighting against the desire rolling through him. 

Bucky was slowly fighting through the haze of sleep towards wakefulness. He was still as of yet unaware of his surroundings, but conscious enough to register the pleasurable sensation coming from the body pressed against him and the aching hardness of his own cock. “Steve,” he moaned as images of the golden haired knight with his sunny smile and impressive physique drifted through his mind. 

That single word, laced with want and desire was the last straw for the older man. He dragged Bucky flush against him, rolling his hips and pressing his cock into the other mans ass in an effort to get more friction on his aching cock as he chased his own release. His free hand slipped down Bucky’s chest, palming his cock through the fabric of his breeches before slipping his hand within to stroke him. 

Steve could feel his own release approaching quickly, pleasure coiling in his gut as the soft throaty noises Bucky was making urged him on. Steve glanced down and was met with the sight of a now wide awake Bucky staring up at him with bright pleasure clouded eyes. “Don’t stop, please,” he begged with a choked off moan. It was a small broken sound that Steve would endeavor to cause as often as he could. Those eyes and that voice were all that was needed to send Steve toppling over the edge, his own orgasm roaring through him, Bucky following only a few moments with a hoarse cry.

Steve allowed himself a moment to enjoy the after glow, Bucky nestled comfortably against him before the reality of what he had done settled in. Steve scrambled back away from Bucky with horror. He had taken advantage of his young friend in a most abominable manner and he knew not what he could say to make amends, so he did the only thing he could do, he fled. Despite his rumpled and disheveled condition and the wetness staining the front of his breeches he scrambled down from the loft and out of the stable, rushing out to hide within his own quarters, leaving Bucky to stare after him and wonder what it is he had done to cause such a reaction.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short note here. I'm not going to explain meditation in detail, the first book of the Immortals series does a great job of this. If you haven't read any of Tamora Pierce's books I would highly suggest starting with this series or the Song of Lioness quartet. Both are great.
> 
> I will however offer a short explanation on how magic can be seen by those with the sight. Magic appears different for different people depending on their skills and strength. Often the biggest variation is in the color. Wild Magic often shows up as copper, and in Bucky's case it starts out as this power swirling around him, this massive power that he can't control which just circles around him rather than something that is controlled and contained within him.
> 
> Let me know if you have any questions, comments and kudos are super appreciated.

Bucky wasn’t really sure what to make of Steve leaving in such a rush, and he really was uncertain what to do with himself after so he did the only thing he could at the moment and began cleaning himself up.

There was a well near the stables and Bucky was able to fetch a pail of water and return to the stables so that he could at least clean himself up a bit in the absence of a river or pond to bathe in.

That is exactly what Rumlow found him doing a few moments before dawn. Bare chested and clothes only in a clean pair of breeches, Bucky made for quite a sight. He was long limbed, lithe and lightly muscled in the sort of way Rumlow had always appreciated in his lovers. A bit too thin perhaps, the way his ribs jutted out and the hollowness of his cheeks was troublesome, but they would remedy that soon enough.

Rumlow leaned against the stables entrance and enjoyed the view for a few moments longer before making his presence known with a sharp whistle.

Bucky startled at the noise, not expecting anyone to be at the stables so early in the morning. He blushed when he saw Rumlow and quickly grabbed a towel and a clean shirt. “I’m sorry I wasn’t expecting you to be so early,” he stated as he pulled the shirt over his head.

Rumlow responded with a wolfish grin. “I don’t mind a bit sweetheart,” he moved towards Bucky with long, loping strides until he was standing directly in front of the young man. “Had we more time I would have continued to enjoy such a lovely sight.” Rumlow sighed, “Pity we have so very much to do today, but it can’t be helped. Your studies will be starting now with me, the others will begin to provide aid later, but for now it is just you and I.” Rumlow began pulling Bucky from the stables, even as Bucky protested, arguing that he needed to see the horses. “No need for that sweetheart, you’re not a hostler anymore.” Rumlow must have noted the pained look on Bucky’s face because he hastily continued. “No that you won’t still have full access to the horses, or any other animal in the palace for that matter, but with your training we don’t really have time to saddle you with additional duties.” Rumlow stopped when they reached one of the large open outdoor training courts that was well removed from where the knights normally trained. “Sweetheart, we’re not about to throw you back to the wolves now. Even if the king wanted you removed form the palace I would still find some way to keep you safe, and pierce would do the same. You’re special James, you have the ability to help shape the world and it’s my job to teach you the things you need to know to do that, alright.”

Bucky’s eyes were wide at this point. He’d never really felt as though he could be someone important, the type of person who could do something great, but here Rumlow was offering the chance to do just that. “James, it’s more than just that. I’m not just doing this because it’s what the king or Pierce or anyone wants. Not even because I believe you could e powerful or influential. I’m doing this because it’s you. Because you’re kind and sweet and funny and you need to learn to control this before it takes control of you.”

“Thank you,” croaked Bucky, almost pushed to tears by the overwhelming swell of emotion.

Rumlow reached up to cup Bucky’s face, his thumb brushing against his cheekbone. “Hey, none of that now, we’ve got a lot of work to get done, ok.” Bucky nodded, pulling back and wiping at his eyes. “Good, now take a seat and get comfortable, we’ll start with meditation.”

__

It was astounding how difficult meditation actually was. It was well past noon when Rumlow finally called for a break, noting how Bucky’s focus was drifting. They had made a great deal of progress in reigning in some of Bucky’s power, he felt more settled in his own skin than he ever had before. Less like he was just play acting at being human and more like he actually was one. 

The training that morning was also exceptionally eye opening for Rumlow as well. Before they began trying to reign Bucky’s power in it had circled around him. These bright tendrils of copper and bronze swirling around him. Powerful, but utterly untamed. Even in one morning Bucky had made such progress, slowly but meticulously pulling these threads of power into himself until it looked as though the sun was burning within him. Few others, even those with the Sight, would be able to see what Rumlow saw. It took a uniquely gifted mage to recognize Wild Magic. As far as Rumlow knew, only he and Pierce would have the ability to see the changes in James’ powers. All the better so no one would be able to contradict Rumlow when he reported little to no progress to the king. At this point the fewer who knew how powerful James was and what he could really do the better.

They had grabbed some fruit and cheese from the kitchen as they had missed the noontime meal and made their way back out to the practice courts, this time to see what knights were training. When they arrived several of the knights called out greetings. Dugan slapped Bucky so hard on the back that the slighter man almost toppled over. Falsworth had pulled Bucky aside to let him know that he would have full access to Falsworth when he was prepared to begin attempting to shape shift and also to invite him to join him at Pirates Swoop when the summer came to a close - Rumlow didn’t particularly care for the way the Baron’s hands lingered on Bucky’s shoulder. Even Rollins had a smile and a nod for the brunette. But Steve couldn’t even look Bucky in the eye and avoided him at every turn. It was terribly confusing for Bucky. Bucky couldn’t help but feel as though he had done something wrong. True, this morning had been unexpected, but for Bucky it had not been entirely unwelcome. He had come to grips with his attraction to the golden haired knight shortly after meeting him and at times he had thought Steve had felt the same. After the way he had reacted that clearly wasn’t the case, which was completely fine with Bucky. After all he was used to being unwanted, the undesirable one, a freak. It was a familiar position for him, still even rationalizing the situation in this manner didn’t lessen the sting of rejection. 

“Sweetheart, are you alright?” inquired Rumlow when he noticed how quiet his student had been since they arrived at the training grounds.

“Hmm, oh, I’m fine. Just a bit tired it seems,” Bucky responded, dragging his attention away from Steve and back towards Rumlow. “I hadn’t expected something as simple as meditation to be quite so exhausting.”

Rumlow grinned, “It will get better, but you do need to master meditation, it is the foundation of everything we will do. It you’re still up to it I have one more surprise and I think you will rather like this one.”

Rumlow dragged Bucky through the palace down to the wing where much of the nobility was housed. They finally came to a halt before one of the last doors on the left hand side. “Those are my quarters,” commented Rumlow, nodding towards the door next to the one they stood before as he fished a set of keys out of his pocket. “My quarters are adjoining to this room, but that’s not really what matters right now.” In all honesty Bucky couldn’t really see how any of this was relevant to him, but he followed Rumlow into the room none-the-less. 

It was a single large room, outfitted in the very basic necessities which included a desk, several shelves of books, a small bureau for clothing and, but far the most opulent item in the whole room, a bed which was outfitted in black satin and placed before the large glass doors leading out to the terrace which were thrown open in the summer heat. The terrace overlooked the royal forest.

None of this actually caught Bucky’s attention. Instead he was immediately drawn to the golden haired tabby seated comfortably on the foot of the bed. “Arn’t you a beauty,” he stated as he drew closer, refraining from petting her until she gave him permission.

The tabby cracked one eye open before responding. “Of course I am,” her voice was sharp and demanding as it flowed through Bucky’s mind. “Now make yourself useful and pet me.” Bucky laughed but did as she commanded.

“Pierce thought it would be good to have an animal nearby who could grown close to and familiar with one that would essentially live with you, her name is Sharon.”

Bucky continued to scratch behind her ears, “Live with me, somehow I doubt a creature so superb as this would care very much for the stables, bit too much of a queen for that.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she snarked back. 

Rumlow sat on the edge of the bed near where Bucky was crouched and reached out as though to pet Sharon. She immediately jumped off the bed and padded away out onto the terrace. “She’s never really liked me,” he explained as we watched the cats retreating form.

“Cats are always quite particular,” commented Bucky with a grin. “Which leads me yet again to the very same point I made just a moment ago. A cat like that,” Bucky pointed out to the terrace where Sharon was now sunning herself on the warm tiles. “is going to take very kindly to living in a barn.”

Rumlow was grinning down at Bucky who had yet to rise from his crouched position. “For someone with such an exceptional amount of power you can be incredibly dense. James, it’s of the utmost importance that you and I remain near to each other if i am to help. These rooms are yours.” Bucky didn’t respond, his eyes wide with shock so Rumlow continued onward. “That terrace overlooks the Royal forest which should be a valuable training tool to us. In the warmer months you can leave the doors open.” Still no response from Bucky. “These books will also be useful. They’re mostly anatomy, you’ll need that for when your ready to start healing. There are a few other’s mixed in, histories and legends and other such. Rumlow paused for a moment as though considering something. “You can read, right.”

That question is what finally shook Bucky from his stupor. “My ma taught me, said no matter where we grew up or what class we were that she didn’t want us to grow up ignorant.” There was a soft smile on Bucky’s face. “Why are you doing all of this, why help me now. Even Steve can’t stomach being around me now that he knows what I am,” and really that was the only explanation Bucky could find at the moment for how Steve had reacted, that he must be disgusted over what Bucky was and what he had done. “The only ones here to show me any favor are those who do not know the full extent of what I’ve done such as Monty or the other Commando’s and those who aim to gain from what I am.” Steve had been kind last night but apparently in the light of day he had found something revolting in Bucky, something that had made him pull away even though he had touched him so intimately this morning. After he had learned what Bucky had done, who he had killed, he must have sound something that made it so he couldn’t even look Bucky in the eye. “Why do you care.”

Rumlow regarded Bucky with sad eyes before he spoke again. “Rogers is a good man James, but he’s not like us. He lives in a world of ideals, of things like justice and virtue. He hasn’t seen how cruel the world can actually be. He could never understand doing something horrific that you have no control over.”

“And you would?” asked Bucky.

“More than you may realize,” Rumlow answered as he tugged Bucky to his feet so he was now looking up at the younger man holding his hands in front of him.”I had a wife once. I’m guessing no one has ever told you that. Most don’t speak of it any longer. Her name was Sinthea and she was my whole world. We married at only twenty years of age. She was a fierce little thing, but there was always something off about her. She had the gift as I did, but unlike me she couldn’t control it, was never taught to control it and slowly it consumed her. I was so young and so blind back then, I should have seen it but I didn’t. Fifteen years ago it finally got the better of her and she went mad. I tried to contain it, to contain her but I couldn’t. One day she tried to attach Pierce and as i tried to stop her she struck back at me with her magic. She died that day at my hands.” Rumlow’s hands were shaking at this point. Bucky released one of them and carded through Rumlow’s hair with his free hand in an attempt to sooth the knight. Rumlow leaned into his touch and suddenly he was using his grip on Bucky’s hand to pull him forward into his lap so Bucky was straddling him. One of the knights arms latched firmly around his waist while the other gripped his chin forcing Bucky to lock eyes with him. “Just like you I was unable to control what happened and I was forced to kill the women I loved. I could have saved her, but I didn’t and I refuse to let that happen again. I won’t let this control you, I won’t let this power you have harm you, do you understand.“ Bucky was beyond words at this point. There was nothing that he would say, nothing that could express how sorry he was for what had happened and how grateful he was for the compassion he had been shown. Rumlow continued to watch him for a moment more, his eyes carefully considering Bucky before he asked his next question, his voice soft and hesitant when he did. “James, may I kiss you.” His eyes were open and ernest as though he was expecting rejection. Bucky’s grey blue eyes were wide as he looked down at the dark haired knight, unused to being asked such a thing and instead expecting the other man to simply take what he wanted. Nonetheless Rumlow waited until Bucky nodded before he moved forward. It started soft, little more than a chaste pressing of the lips, Bucky unsure of himself and Rumlow providing the slighter man with an opportunity to pull away. Rumlow’s hand shifted from Bucky’s chin back into his hair, cradling his head. Bucky’s own hands came up to grip the front of Rumlow’s shirt as though trying to ground himself. Suddenly the kiss turned filthy, a clash of tongues and teeth as they both fought for dominance. Rumlow won that fight as he shifted, using his superior strength to lift Bucky from his lap, turning as he did to throw him on to the bed, pinning his wrists down with one hand as he looked over him.

“Tell me you don’t want this, that I’ve read this wrong,” by now Rumlow wasn’t sure he could stop himself but he would have to if Bucky said no, everything hinged on the young wild mage trusting him.

For a moment Bucky thought of Steve, oh his warm hands on Bucky, of his golden hair and cornflower blue eyes and for just the briefest moment he hesitated, until he remembered how Steve had drawn away from him in revulsion this morning, his eyes filled with disgust. Rumlow made him feel wanted, cared for, why should he fight this when no one else could want him. “I want this, I want you.”

Rumlow needed no further prompting as he pressed Bucky into the bed, attacking his neck with biting kisses and relishing each noise he dragged from the man beneath him, the way he arched into him and struggled to free his wrists. “Stay,” Rumlow commanded, pressing down on Bucky’s wrists to indicate exactly what he meant before releasing them and quickly divesting himself and Bucky of their boots and breeches, not bothering with either of their shirts. Rumlow then gripped Bucky’s hips and flipped the younger man over onto his stomach, sliding a pillow beneath his hips. He pressed down, grinding his cock into the other man’s ass and pressing a kiss into his clothed shoulder. Bucky responded by rolling his hips back against Rumlow, lifting up onto his forearms so he could peer back at the man behind him. “Tell me what you want James,” Rumlow demanded, his eyes locked on Bucky’s as he pressed down again, relishing the feel of skin on skin and the keening noise that left Bucky. “I need to hear it.”

“You.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, no sex, just kind of left that off to your own imagination :)


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and Steve begin to make plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanation Time!!!!! Natasha has a very unique sort of magic, those of you who have read the Becca Cooper series will recognize it, but for the uninitiated, here is the short version. Natasha is able to hear voices in the dust spinners and also from the spirits of the dead(the pigeons). Pigeons sometimes carry spirits of the dead (generally those recently killed) and the dust spinners can catch bits of conversations that can be heard. It's really far more complex than this, but those are the simplest terms I can explain this sort of magic in. Thank you newgrangespirals for reminding me of Becca's gift, if you hadn't I would probably still be floundering around trying to figure out what to do with Natasha.

Steve watched as Rumlow and Bucky left the training grounds for the palace. He should have spoken with Bucky, made it clear how sorry he was for taking advantage of him. Or at the very least he could have played it off like nothing happened, like their relationship hadn’t fundamentally changed with Steve’s foolish and impulsive actions.

“You do realize you’ll have to start speaking to him again once we start training,” called out a sharp feminine voice.

Steve glanced over to his left just in time to see a pretty red haired women leap the wood fence that surrounded the practice courts and stride over to stand by him. “I highly doubt he will want me training him now Natasha.”

“You mean after that little tryst you had two had this morning,” she stated nonchalantly, a smirk spreading across her face in response to Steve’s shocked expression. “Don’t worry Cap, no one but Clint and I know. The horses told Clint and Clint tells me everything, that’s kind of how marriage tends to work after all. You need to relax a bit, Barnes wants you just as much as you want him.”

“He’s so young, too young to know what he really wants Nat.”

“Nineteen is hardly a child Rogers, he’s years past the point were he was old enough to start making decisions about who he wants to share his bed with. If he is really what you want then pull your head from your ass and go after him, but at the very least you need to stop acting as though you can’t even bear the sight of him. Continuing to act like this is only going to push him into the waiting arms of Pierce and Rumlow. 

Steve looked down Sharply to meet Natasha’s eyes, “You know something about all this, don’t you?”

“I hear things,” she responded with a sardonic grin. “My little birds bring me news.”

“You mean your pigeons.”

“And the dust spinners, mustn't forget them as well.

Steve rolled his eyes, “Care to enlighten me since it is both of our jobs to protect Bucky. This information is something I likely need to know. Have you told Fury already?”

“Why else do you he was so insistent that we be a part of Barnes training, he’s known since before Batroc made his move.”

“Nice of you to keep me in the look,” Steve snapped with a scowl.

“You’re not Tortall’s spymaster and until now there was no reason to keep you abreast of the situation now is there.”

“And that situation would be what?”

Natasha turned slightly so that she was facing away from the other knights milling across the field, lowering her voice so no one but Steve would be able to hear what followed. “Four days ago a few of my pigeons came to me carrying a few passengers. Two souls who had been killed only a few hours earlier. They kept saying that it was Hydra who had killed them.”

“That’s impossible, Hydra has been wiped out everywhere but Scanra, and it has only survived there because of Schmidt.”

“It gets worse,” muttered Natasha. “The night before Batroc attacked I found a dust spinner on the north west side of the palace. When I stepped inside it I only heard two words, ‘hail Hydra.’ It was Pierce’s voice I heard Steve.”

“You’re certain?” Steve questioned. Something like this would change everything. He’d always had his suspicions about Pierce, thought he might have his own agenda, but Hydra, that he had never suspected.

“Without a doubt.”

“If Pierce is Hydra then this goes deeper than any of us could even imagine. If Pierce is Hydra anyone could be.”

“And we can’t move against him without solid evidence,” Natasha added. “We’ll need more than just a whispered phrase and a few mutterings of two dead men. We’re going to need help, is there anyone here you can trust completely, who you know without a doubt is not Hydra?”

“The Commando’s, they fought with me against Hydra in the last war, not one of them would ever consider allying themselves with them after what we went through. Sam as well, he lost his best friend to Hydra, he has more reason than most to hate them. What about Rumlow, I trust him and his Strike team but if you know something that I don’t then that might change everything.”

Natasha simply shook her head. “I’ve got nothing yet, but I don’t trust him.”

“Nat, Rumlow is a well respected knight, powerful and thus far he has given us no reason to not trust him. I understand that the two of you don’t get along, but that doesn’t instantly mean he’s Hydra,” the exasperation was evident in Steve’s voice. “We can’t afford to alienate another ally simply because you thought something was off about him. He’s a good man and a good knight.”

“I’m not an idiot Rogers,” Natasha snapped. “I’m smart enough to keep my emotions out of this. Stop and really think this through for a moment. Sinthea dies under mysterious circumstances and at Rumlows hands. All the sudden he just up and vanishes for five years. When he finally turns back up his Gift is ten times more powerful than it once was and he has the Sight. He was strong before that, but now, he’s almost unstoppable. On top of that he has developed the Sight in addition to his already impressive Gift, which is essentially unheard of, especially developing it so late in life. You can’t tell me that's not the least bit suspicious.”

Steve just shrugged, “So he’s a magical anomaly, we’ve got pleny of those running around here now. You with your spirits and your voices, my sight developing in my late teens, Bucky’s Wild Magic, seems to me that this palace has a way of drawing people like us, those of us with unusual talents, here.”

“I was born with my talents, same with Barnes, and your’s were repressed until Erskine got his hands on you and turned you into what you are today. Rumlow wasn’t born with the Sight, he was given it. How I do not know. This is completely different from us, he dropped off the face of the earth for five years and then comes back more powerful than before. Look, you don’t have to believe me, but just keep a close eye on Rumlow and Barnes, do what you can to makes sure they don’t get too close.”

“I’ll do my best,” Steve responded. Little did he know that it was already a bit to late for that.


End file.
